I set off to do the Caledonian Way from Oban to Inverness but illness and bad weather put paid to that idea and I only managed as far as Fort William. I enjoyed the first part so much I will definately revisit it, probably retracing the first part too.

Setting off from Oban, the National Cycle Route 78 is well signposted from the centre of town and is easy to follow. It’s a long climb on a quiet country road. When the route gets near to Connel there are sections of dedicated cycle path with alternative routes to get to local ammenities like the shop and station. After crossing the bridge by a shared footpath the cycle track follows a mixture of dedicated paths away from the road, sections on the old railway line and the occasional path at the side of the A828 which can be quite busy. Thankfully these are few.

The section between Connel and South Ballachulish also follows much of the old railway track. This criss-crosses the road through tunnels and over bridges but there are one or two short sections when the cycle path crosses the main road and these need care taken as the traffic can be heavy and fast. Much of the route is through woodlands or along the side of Loch Creran then Loch Linnhe and is an extremely pleasant ride. Watch out for views of Castle Stalker. If you’re not looking to the left you may ride past without noticing it. All along this section there are information signs which are worth while stopping to read if you are not in too much of a hurry.

About three miles before the route reaches Duror, where I camped for the night, it leaves the line of the old railway and follows a trail through the Highland Titles Nature Reserve. This involves a steep climb for a couple of miles followed by a similar descent. The reserve, which includes a wild cat reintroduction scheme is well laid out with lots of information on the landscape and wild-life. Although this section of the NCR 78 is not marked as well as the rest it is easy to follow the park trail.

After Duror, the route returns to the old railway line with a couple of signposted detours to take in sights and lochs. It is only like this for a couple of miles. Once you reach Ballachulish things get less idyllic. The cycle path over the bridge and for the next few miles to Corran Ferry is a shared footpath alongside the busy A82. The almost constant traffic can be quite hairy, especially in places where the path narrows for obstructions like telegraph poles.

The Corran Ferry runs every 20 minutes or so and cyclists travel free. The route from there heads north along the west side of Loch Linnhe. It is on the A861 which is a single track road. The road is fairly quiet and is much safer that trying to navigate the busier A82. It’s an enjoyable ride to Camusnagaul where a foot passenger ferry crosses to Fort William. It runs four times a day which means you need to get your timings right. I was the only passenger and the fare is £3.50 for a bike. The ferry pier is only a couple of minutes ride from the town centre which is where I decided to terminate this trip and take a train home.

I look forward to coming back soon to retrace my ride and complete the journey to Inverness.